read input events

[jasminbreitwieser]

Hi!

I’m currently using itrackR to analyze pupil data from an experiment that my colleagues conducted a few years ago. They used message events as well as input events from a port (see here for the different event data that can be used in EyeLink: http://download.sr-support.com/dispdoc/page9.html)

As far as I can see, itrackR/edfR only reads message events but ignores input events. I would need both in the object$messages$message column.
I suppose this is relatively easy to fix by telling edfR to read lines starting with 'msg' as well as 'INPUT', but I couldn't figure out which function I need to customize (and how) in order to solve this.

[jashubbard]

Sorry for the delay. At the moment I have a lot on my plate, and my development duties have fallen by the wayside. Everything out of edfR and itrackR has grown out of the data that I deal with, which has never included input events. Unfortunately adding this requires editing the C code in edfR, specifically modifying or adding a function under /src/edf_api.cpp. This is less straightforward than dealing with the R code. I would like to add this, but realistically won't have time to get to it for a while. If you're able to make it work and want to do a pull request that would be awesome. In the meantime, when I do have time, it would be helpful to have a sample EDF file to work with. Would you mind sending one?

Alternatively, you could process the pupil data with itrackR, then get a table of all the samples (removing blinks, etc) using get_samples. Then separately you should be able to grab a table of input events from DataViewer, then merge them together. edfR has a handy tool, events2samples that will take a table of events (like fixations/saccades/blinks) that have start and end times, and will generate a timepoint-by-timepoint table of them. This could then be merged with the pupil. Not ideal, but still workable.

[jasminbreitwieser]

Hey, thanks for your reply! Since neither me nor my colleagues have any experience with C, we'll probably try to work our way around by following your other suggestion.
You can download the sample EDF file for the next 7 days here : https://www.dropbox.com/sh/4vsgz3jd02d7qay/AABO8vZBOgTPU63zxcVOuqFza?dl=0